Winter Rose
by Inanis Incedeco
Summary: Leliana and her Warden are getting married, and it's the happiest that either of them have ever been.
1. Dreams of Tomorrow

_Author's Note: this was written for the prompt of Leliana and Mara getting Married since I had already done Hawke and Merrill for another prompt._

 _If you wish to prompt me, please feel free to leave a review, PM me or search for "greyassassin24" on Tumblr and lick on the Prompts tab._

Mara hefted a bag filled with groceries over her shoulder as she walked home through the streets of Val Royeaux. After the Blight and Amaranthine, she had reunited with her Leliana, and decided to take a vacation with her lover. After hearing so much about it, she had been fascinated to see the Orlesian capital.

They had rented a small apartment in the heart of the city, and so far Mara had been impressed. The city was every bit as fanciful as Leliana's stories had told, even if it was a bit extravagant for her tastes. The streets may as well have been paved with gold.

Of course, the city was nothing when compared to the beauty of her Orlesian Bard.

"Leli! I'm home!" Mara called as she opened the door to their small apartment.

"I'm in here, Mon Ange."

Mara smiled when she heard the sweet Orlesian accent of her lover, and had to stop herself from sprinting. She had been out all morning, and was excited to see her Leliana.

But she froze when she entered the room. Inside was Leliana, but sitting in a chair just beside her was a woman she didn't recognize, clad in Chantry robes.

Leliana looked up, and smiled that perfect smile up at Mara, who entered the room rather slowly, and pulled up a chair beside the two other women.

"Let me introduce you, Mon Cœur." She gestured to the Chantry woman. "This is Revered Mother Dorothea. Dorothea, this is my fiancée, Marilina Amell."

Mara leaned forward and shook Dorothea's hand, remembering that this woman was the one who had saved Leliana in her darkest hour. "It's wonderful to meet you." She smiled. "Leliana's told me about you."

"And she's told me all about you." Dorothea returned her handshake with a smile. "We've been talking about you two all morning."

"Oh? All good things I hope?"

Dorothea chuckled. "You haven't any idea. She's been talking about you for hours."

Mara glanced at Leliana, who had a lovely blush on her beautiful cheekbones, and gave a laugh as well.

"I... may have rambled a little about you." She rubbed the back of her neck, and Mara laughed again.

"Aww, I'm sorry I missed it then. I love listening to your ramble."

Leliana turned to Dorothea, her face beaming. "You see? She's such a pleasure to be around."

"So what are we discussing?" Mara rested her head on her knuckles and sat forward.

Leliana turned to Dorothea, and gave her a smile before turning back to Mara. "You remember that day in Denrim, where you asked if I would marry you?"

Mara glanced at Dorothea, and back at Leliana, unsure why her lover was bringing up such a personal and controversial topic so suddenly. "Of course I do."

"Well," Leliana smiled with her perfect teeth. "Dorothea has agreed to officiate our wedding."

Mara turned her head sharply to the Chantry Mother. "Really?" Dorothea nodded. "I... wow, t-thank you."

Dorothea smiled at her. "I should be the one thanking you. I don't think I've ever seen Leliana so happy as she is when she talks about you. I would be delighted to wed you two." She looked out the window where sunlight was streaming down, and sighed. "I wish I could stay and meet with you, but I'm supposed to meet with the Lord Seeker about now."

She stood, and so did Mara and Leliana. Leliana gave a hug to her oldest friend, and Mara gave one to her newest friend.

"Thank you." Mara whispered when she gave a hug to Dorothea.

"And thank you for taking care of Leliana." The Revered Mother nodded, and showed herself out.

"Wow." Mara murmured, leaning against her Leliana, feeling her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "We-we're going to be married."

Leliana kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

Mara turned with the biggest smile on her face. "I love you too." She stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Leliana on the nose. "You make me so happy."

"You make me even happier." Leliana kissed her bride-to-be back.

They entwined their hands, and their eyes met for several wonderful seconds, and then Mara broke the silence.

"Well then, my wonderful fiancée, how about some lunch?"

Leliana giggled. "I will never understand how you Wardens can eat so much."

Mara folded her arms. "And just what does that mean?"

Leliana laughed, and moved her head next to Mara's, whispering in her lover's ear. "That I'll have to make sure you get plenty of _exercise_."

The Warden laughed, and gave Leliana a hug. "I love you so much." She pulled back a little. "But seriously, I'm starving."


	2. Why do we Fall?

Mara loves the mornings. It's when the pillows and blankets are soft and cool, and when her Leliana lays in her embrace, her pleasantly warm skin pressed into her.

And that's what they were doing this morning, cuddled together under the bedsheets, discussing their plans for their wedding. They were both enjoying discussing their plans in bed. After all, both of them adored pillow talk, being able to talk about whatever was on their mind while both w ihle naked and pressed into a beautiful woman.

"Oooh, and I know exactly who we should have make our croquembouche!" Leliana exclaimed. "And there's this tailor just down the street that we absolutely _must_ go to for our dresses..."

Mara smiled in amusement. Leliana was the most enthusiastic and passionate woman Mara had ever met in her life. She was passionate about life, about love and, most endearingly, about her.

"But I haven't let you get a word in edgewise all morning, have I?" Leliana turned her gaze and smiled at the Warden. "Are there any Ferelden traditions you would like to celebrate?"

Mara shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of. Since I grew up in the Tower, I've never actually been to a wedding before, and I always had more practical things to study." She kissed her fiancée on the nose. "I'm just delighted that one of us knows so much."

Leliana blushed. "I've always loved weddings. There's just something so beautiful and romantic about them, about deciding to spend your lives together."

"You see?" Mara giggled. "I'm delighted that you're so excited." She nuzzled Leliana's neck. "I never thought I would meet anyone I would love enough to spend the rest of my life with. Especially since I was the only... lesbian in the Circle, and marriage between two women isn't usually approved of in Ferelden Chantries."

Leliana nodded understandingly. "Well, I love you enough to spend the rest of my life with you, I _enjoy_ the company of women, and we've found someone to officiate us."

"And you are the most perfect woman in the entire world." Mara gave Leliana a soft, sweet kiss. "Now, what do you need me to do to plan?"

The Bard shook her head. " _You_ don't have to do anything beyond picking out your dress, Mon Ange. I will take care of everything for you."

Mara gave a small laugh. "And is that for my benefit, or yours?"

Leliana gave her a cheeky wink, and a kiss on the cheek.

 **Two Months Later...**

Leliana slipped her camisole over her head, and slipped a single leg into the bath, immersing herself fully into the warm, steamy waters.

She stretched languidly, like a cat, and relaxed herself further into the bath.

This was the last tradition that needed to be done for their wedding. Tomorrow was the day when she and her Warden would cease to separate, and would begin their lives as one. The last thing she was to do was to bathe tonight, and wash away the pained memories of previous lives and loves.

And for the first time in a very long time, she allowed herself to think of Marjolaine. Of the pain and suffering her old lover had put her through.

She remembered how they had met. She had been with Lady Cecilie at a soiree in Val Royeaux, and was only a young girl of sixteen, and how her fascination with the mysterious, mature woman quickly blossomed into more.

Forever ago, in another life.

Flashes of her pain and suffering flickered distantly in the corner of her eyes, and she breathed hard, slowly closing them. She remembered every agonizing instant of her torture, and the pain was as fresh as the day she had escaped.

She breathed slowly, deeply. The idea behind this tradition was to remember the pain, so she could let it go. She had considered bringing Mara in here with her, to help her through the pain of reliving this, but this was her pain, not Mara's, and this was something she had to let go of on her own.

But even just thinking of her Warden made the suffering easier.

Had the Bardmaster ever felt anything for Leliana? Had she been softer at first and changed, or had she always been cruel and self-centred?

 _Breathe._

Marjolaine was dead, and she couldn't hurt Leliana anymore. The Bardmaster had forced her hand when the two of them met again during the Blight, and Leliana had been forced to defend herself.

And of course it was Mara who had protected her from her old lover. Her Warden, her protector.

Her Angel.

In some ways it was uncanny just how similar the two of them were to each other. Mara was how Marjolaine used to be: Happy, loving, with a weakness for sugar. Even their names were uncomfortably similar: Marilina could easily pass for a Ferelden spelling of Marjolaine.

But there was one essential difference between them: Marjolaine was an assassin who had taught Leliana to strike first, who had always shown her that survival was the only thing that mattered in life. Mara was a protector who had stood between the Light and the Dark, and had simply said "No". She had taught Leliana that life mattered only if there was something worth living for, that saving the world meant nothing if, in their haste to save it, they destroyed what made it worth saving.

Leliana opened her eyes, and breathed as though the weight of the world had suddenly lifted.

For the first time in many, many years, she felt free.


	3. Better Days

_Author's Note: I'm terribly sorry if this seems extremely similar to Bonds of Eternity. I tried tochange it up a bit, but it's the traditions that I know. Sorry if it feels a bit repetitive to anyone who's read that story._

A knock came at the door, and Mara turned.

"Come in!"

In came Alistair, wearing his finest clothes, which was extremely impressive considering that he was the King of Ferelden. He had a jet-black velvet shirt and white silken pants that shimmered in the sunlight.

"Hey." He tugged anxiously at his collar that clearly fit too tightly. "You look nice."

Mara smiled. She had spent hours and hours dress shopping with Wynne. Leliana had insisted that they couldn't see each other's dresses until they were at the altar with one another, but Mara knew very little about dresses. Robes and chainmail were far more her style than dresses and skirts.

"I'm glad you think so." Her smile was dazzling, and he returned it in kind. "I hope that she likes it."

Alistair shook his head. "Of course she will. She adores you." He offered an arm. "You ready to go?" Alistair had agreed to walk her down the aisle, and had shown up in Valance with an honour guard guiding him.

She nodded and took his arm, although the knot of anxiety in her chest was still tying itself tighter and tighter.

"Thank you for coming with me." She murmured as they walked through the empty hallways of the Chantry to where Leliana, Dorothea and the others would all be. According to Leliana, they were supposed to have their father's walk them down the aisle, but both of them were orphans, so Alistair had agreed instead.

'Don't mention it. It's the least I can do." They came at the great doors that led to the main hall where everyone would be. "You ready?"

She swallowed hard, and nodded.

Together, they pushed open the doors, and didn't get far at all.

When the doors opened enough for her to get a glimpse of her fiancée, Mara stopped dead in her tracks. Alistair gave a small laugh, and stopped with her.

Leliana was standing at the altar, and she was _gorgeous_. It was a pure, snow white, and it was almost nothing but ornate, intricate laces and frills, with a woven veil that was pulled over her head, with a train longer than Oghren was tall.

Alistair elbowed her in the ribs, and she started forward once more. Every one of her companions from the Blight were there, except Morrigan, Sten and Loghain.

He released her arm as they reached the altar, and she in turn entwined her hands with Leliana's.

"How are you feeling?" She murmured.

"I was terrified until I saw you standing here." Tears were in her vision, and she squeezed her lover's hand tightly.

Leliana smiled her perfect smile, and both of them turned to Dorothea, who began the traditional Chantry rites of marriage.

"Dearly beloved, we have come together to witness the unification of Marilina and Leliana, as they both become Amells on this beautiful Autumn morning, as their lives merge into a single road paved with love. If anyone can think of a reason that these two should not be wed, let them speak now, or keep their silence for all time."

The Chantry fell stock quiet. There was no one that had been invited that had any sort of problem with the two women being wed to one another. Alistair had been supportive of the couple since the beginning, Wynne had only had problems with them as long as it had been a danger during the Blight, Oghren and Zevran had both shown a winking tolerance of the idea of two women sharing a bed, and everyone from Vigil's Keep owed their everything to the Warden-Commander.

"You both should be aware of the reality of the vows you are about to speak to one another and of the responsibility that comes when a partnership is created. If there is any reason within you that this ceremony should not continue at this time, speak it now, for marriage must always be based in honesty and trust."

Both of them were as silent as the audience that was gathered with them. Neither of them had any sort of reason in their hearts as to why their love shouldn't be bound to one another. They were everything to one another.

"Know now: There will be times of hardship which you must endure, where you must support one another with your love and strength and honesty. If you feel you are unable to fulfil your duties to your partner, declare it now."

They were silence once more. They had survived an apocalypse together: They had survived the worst that life could throw at them.

"Leliana and Marilina, you stand before me, the Maker, and this company, having desired the bond of marriage. Do you do this of your own free will, coming here today without coercion or pressure from anyone else?"

They both nodded. They had done the opposite, facing controversy at the Hero of Ferelden being with another woman.

"Will you ever intend to do harm to one another?"

"Never." They spoke adamantly at the same time.

"If harm is done, will you fix it?"

Mara nodded.

"Of course I will." Leliana spoke softly.

"Will you support each other in times of pain?"

They both nodded. They had survived a Blight beside one another, there was no pain they could not support.

"Will you always seek to temper your words and actions with love?"

"Always." They spoke in one voice, together.

Dorothea. "These things you have promised to your partner, before this company and the Maker. May you ever be mindful of the vows you have spoken on this day, and remember them always."

Now was the ring exchange. Leliana had handed back Mara's ring she had given her at the gates of Denerim so she could give it properly, here at the altar. Mara slid the simple golden band on Leliana's finger.

"This ring I give to you is a symbol of our love, and of the promises I have spoken to you on this day." She had been practising the words of fidelity for the last several months, and felt so incredibly confident so long as it was Leliana with her.

"I shall wear this ring as a symbol of our love, being always mindful of the vows we have made to each other." Leliana spoke after Mara, accepted the ring on her finger.

Then they repeated for Leliana's ring to Mara, Leliana speaking the words after her, and slid on a ring with a cobalt-blue opal in the middle of it, the gold on the ring engraved with the Orlesian words: _"Je suis à vous."_

They entwined their hands again, and smiled deeply into each other's eyes. "I now pronounce you wed." Dorothea smiled at their happiness. "You may now kiss your bride."

They threw their arms around one another, and their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss that tasted like eternity, and the future. No one in that room knew what the future would bring, and there were stormclouds on the horizon, but so long as they had one another, the rest would figure itself out.


End file.
